Journal article
Surface antigens of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes as immune targets and malaria vaccine candidates.
JA Chan, FJI Fowkes, JG Beeson
Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences CMLS | SPRINGER BASEL AG | Published : 2014
Abstract
Understanding the targets and mechanisms of human immunity to malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum is crucial for advancing effective vaccines and developing tools for measuring immunity and exposure in populations. Acquired immunity to malaria predominantly targets the blood stage of infection when merozoites of Plasmodium spp. infect erythrocytes and replicate within them. During the intra-erythrocytic development of P. falciparum, numerous parasite-derived antigens are expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes (IEs). These antigens enable P. falciparum-IEs to adhere in the vasculature and accumulate in multiple organs, which is a key process in the pathogenesis of disease. IE s..
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Funding Acknowledgements
Thank you to Christine Langer for providing the scanning electron microscopy image of an infected erythrocyte and to Campbell Aitken for helpful comments on the manuscript. The authors gratefully acknowledge funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Fellowship, programme grant and project grant to J. Beeson; infrastructure support scheme), the Australian Research Council (Future Fellowship to J. Beeson), the Australian Government (Australian Postgraduate Award to J. Chan) and the Victorian Operational Infrastructure Support Program.